Page 330 - Advances In Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

306 Advances in Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

previously requiring three machines (cutter, drill, and loader) to accomplish. Other
machines completely alter the production process eliminating certain tasks and intro-
ducing new cycles in their place. For example, longwall mining eliminates the roof-
bolting task and replaces it with moving and setting shields.
Mine engineers have been interested in using computers to build models that sim-
ulate these mining sequences ever since the computer was introduced to the industry in
the 1960s [2]. The primary reason for this interest is that computer models imitate real-
life systems in such a way that operational scenarios can be tested and evaluated with-
out the need for actual field experimentation, which is always a difficulty given the
challenging variability of the mine environment. Contemporary productivity research
takes advantage of the advances in computing technology to construct simulation
models of various mining processes. Using these models, each step of the mining pro-
cess can be analyzed to determine optimal operating techniques and sequences. Such
models are at the forefront of current efforts to develop autonomous haulage systems
for both surface and underground mines.

15.3.2 Coal mining has become safer
According to one industry expert, there are a number of factors contributing to a safer
mining industry [3] including removing the mine worker away from the working face
and utilizing automation to reduce or eliminate human-machine interactions. Once the
Bureau of Mines had achieved a measure of success in reducing the frequency and
scope of mine explosions, attention turned to falls of ground, which took the place
of explosions as the leading cause of fatalities in coal mines. Research into ground
control methods and systems led to scientifically designed roof control systems such
as truss bolting and pumpable cribs. Additionally, researchers at the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a suite of ground control soft-
ware packages that include the Coal Mine Roof Rating (CMRR), Analysis of
Longwall Pillar Stability (ALPS), and Analysis of Roof Bolt Systems (ARBS). These
tools are easy to understand and use and have gained wide acceptance throughout the
underground coal-mining industry.
Another factor contributing to a safer mining industry is improved education and
training for miners. Regulations limiting exposure to dust have been in place in the
United States for a half century, but methods used for monitoring exposure took days
and sometimes weeks to produce results. The personal dust monitor (PDM), a state-of-
the-art monitoring device developed by NIOSH working in concert with a private
company that specialized in scientific monitoring equipment, now provides dust expo-
sure data in real time allowing the wearer to adjust positions or behaviors to reduce
exposure before it can reach hazardous levels.
A third factor contributing to a safer mining industry is the development and uti-
lization of health and safety management systems, techniques, and concepts. Some of
these systems are very broad-based. For example, CORESafety is a self-proclaimed
“industry-wide partnership” that focuses on developing leadership and building safety
cultures throughout all of mining [4]. Other systems have a much narrower focus that
deals with only one safety issue. Research on developing advanced spray systems for